Cushioned sole and heel for shoes.



W. H. GUY.' GUSHIONBDSOLE AND HEEL FOB. SHOES. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14,. 1913.

1,069,001 Patented July 29, 1913.`

panying drawings, in which WILLIAM It. GUY, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

CUSHIOND SOLE AND HEEL FOR SHOES.

specification'of Letters Parent.

Patented Julyeo, 191e.

Application filed January 14, 1913. Serial 1\To, 742,028.

To all fwlwm't'may concern.'

Be it known that I, VILLIAM H. GUn-a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the countyof lVayne and State of h/Iichigalnhave invented new and useful Improvements in Cushioned Soles 'and Heels for Shoes, of which the following is a speci-A ication. r Thls invention relates to cushioned soles and heels for shoes, the object of .the invention being to provide a construction of inner sole and heel, whereby air or other Huid or liquid maybe confined therein to act as a cushioning medium.

' A further obj ect of the invention is to provide a cushioned inner sole or heel which is simple ofconstruction, compact in form, adapted to be used without rendering the use cumbersome or bulky and in which the air or other'fluid or liquid may be supplied 4in a ready md convenient 'mannen The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accom- Figure l is a vertical-longitudinal section througha shoe showingv the application of the invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional perspective View of the cushioning inner sole and heel and coacting parts detached.` Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views of an inner sole and the heel pad as adapted for independent use. Fig. 5 is ,a detail sectional viewfof the valved nipple and air supply tube. In the practical embodiment of my invention, the essential features of the invention may-be embodied-in an inner sole and heel connected for use in conjunction with each other, or which are separate from and Independent of each other, and the'sole and heel maybe adapted to be built into'a shoeor to. be applied in the form of pads to shoes already constructed. 'YVhile, for purposes of illustration, the inner sole and heel are so termed and independently describedin the specification, it is .to be understood that in vthe appended claim .the term t sole is intended to apply to the embodiment of the invention in'any of the forms above described.

, Referring to the drawing, '1` designates a shoe of any suitable construction, within which is arranged my improved cushioned inner sole 2 and cushioned heel 3, each of which is shaped to conform tothe part of the sho'ein connection with which it is emsuperposed plies 4 and 5 of suitable "maf ployed. As illustrated in the present instance, the cushioned inner sole and cushioned heel-are disposed between the 1ining and fixed sole and heel of the shoe, but they may be otherwise arranged as conven-v iences and circumstances may require.

The cushioned sole and heel are of generally similar construction, each comprising terial, preferably a light layer of canvas saturated with rubber, or very thin layers of canvas or rubber suitably combined together. These plies are marginally united in any preferred manner to form a shallow chamber to receive the air or other cushioning medium. -The plies 4 and 5 are connected at intervals throughout by resilient unions 6, of rubber or other suitable ma-v terial, by which they are held fromcollapsing into a fiat condition and maintained in normal shape. These unions consist of corresponding semi-spherical projections upon the layers, which are arranged at intervals throughout the area thereof on the interior of the air chamber, the correspondingly arranged projections of 'said layers being in contactual relation.

As shown in Figs. l and 2, the sole and heel sections are connected 'by a tube 7, which extends over the instep of the sole,

'and the heel member 3 has connected therewith at'ube 8 extending between the upper of the shoe and it-s lining tothe counter, where said tube communicates with a check valve casing 9 suitably fastened to the counter and communicating with the outs ide atmosphere. In said valve casing is a spring'closed check valve 10, and if desired the casing maybe provided with a closure cap 11. Thevalveasing thus constructed provides a nipple by which the tube 8 may -be connected with a pump to force air or other'fluid into the elastic or cushioned sole and heel sections and conned therein to give a cushioning action. `The valve, however,

:may be of such a type as to enable air to he drawn into the sole and heel sections by collapsing the same under the pressure of the foot and then allowingsaid sections to expand to draw air therein. Other fluids'or liquids may, however, be introduced through the tube to serve as the cushioning medium.

If desired, the cushioned inner sole and heel may be constructed independently of each other, and each provided with a lilling tube and valve, as shown in Figs. 3 and' 4.

This allows them to be independently used within a shoe, as will be readily understood.

It is evident, therefore, from the 'foregoing description that the invention provides a solo which is light. strong, durable and flexible, which is of minimum depth or thiclmcssto adapt it to be used without rendering the shoe bulky or cumbersome, and which is designed to afford an easy and comfortable cushioning action.

I claim A cushioned sole for shoes comprising a body formed of superposed layers of material marginally connected to provide a chamber 'of slightidepth, one of said layers being provided at intervals throughout the area thereof and on the interior of said chamber With substantially semi-spherical resilient projections, andthe other of said layersl being provided With corresponding projections in contactual relation With said rst mentioned projections, wherebyv a cushioning medium may be introduced into said chamber.

In testimony whereof I aflix my 'signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM H. GUY.-

VVitnesses:

WM. T. NASH,

DAN T. SMrrH.

and means 

